Excise Act to be amended to promote Neera in Karnataka

by news
•
September 21, 2016

Bengaluru: The State Cabinet on Wednesday decided to introduce a bill to amend the Excise Act to allow farmers harvest neera, the sweet sap tapped from coconut tree, according to Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T B Jayachandra.

Speaking to media persons, Minister Jayachandra said the demand for the amendment of Excise Act to exempt Neera was quite long pending. “The Cabinet has agreed to take measures for the amendment of the Excise Act to exempt Neera from its purview. Some associations and organizations have come forward to promote Neera which is considered a health drink on account of its high nutritive and medicinal value. Sale of Neera will be promoted under controlled condition,’’ Minister Jayachandra said.

It may be recalled Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, presenting the State Budget for the year 2015-16, announced that amendments would be made to the Excise Act to permit members of coconut growers’ federation to harvest neera in limited quantities. Siddaramaiah had said that it would help increase the income of the coconut growers significantly.

The proposed amendments to the excise laws would help growers take up promotion of Neera and its value added products. Though Karnataka had come up with a draft on Neera policy way back in 2007, the State has developed cold feet in implementing the same over concerns of misuse.

Deena Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana

Minister Jayachandra said the Cabinet has decided to extend Deena Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana to all city corporations and local bodies in the state. “Till now, some city corporations have introduced this scheme for the welfare of people. Now, the Cabinet has decided to extend this scheme to all city corporations and local bodies,’’ Minister Jayachandra said.

He said that many welfare programmes such as imparting skills to unemployed youth to become self-employed, enabling poor to form self-help groups, development of vendor markets besides promotion of skills of vendors, providing shelter to street vendors, etc. would be implemented for the benefit of poor and needy.